Coenzyme Q10 (“Co-Q10”), a valuable nutrient to the body, is a naturally occurring coenzyme having the chemical nomenclature 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-decaprenyl-1,4-benzoquinone. Co-Q10—also known by the names ubiquinone, ubidecarenone and Vitamin Q—is classified as a fat soluble quinone and is produced by the human body naturally in very small quantities.
Co-Q10 levels in plasma generally decrease with age and season. And certain individuals experience prematurely decreasing Co-Q10 levels or suffer from a disorder or condition that hinders Co-Q10 production.
Co-Q10 has been identified as playing various roles in supporting homeostasis. It is well known, for example, that Co-Q10 is an antioxidant with the potential to protect against age-related degeneration and as an adjuvant vitamin to prevent or treat many diseases. To this end, U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,583 notes Co-Q10's promise in the treatment of periodontal disease, certain blood circulation diseases, impaired memory, fatigue, coronary disease, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, immune system impairment, and the aging process. Further, Co-Q10 is believed to have significant health benefits for congestive heart failure. Moreover, coenzyme Q10 has been reported to enhance oxygen uptake and processing in cells.
Generally, individuals that wish to boost natural Coenzyme-Q10 levels do so by ingesting Co-Q10 in the form of food supplements, such as capsule, tablet, liquid or softgel forms. Softgels are regarded generally as the most popular Co-Q10 delivery method.
Due to its isoprenoid side chain, however, Co-Q10 is extremely lipophilic. When administered in the form of an oil solution or some kind of water and/or oil suspension or emulsion, lipophilic compounds usually show a poor bioavailability, meaning a low concentration and a long build-up time of the compound in the systemic circulation. This lack of bioavailability usually is independent of the administration route (topical, oral, or parenteral). There has been, therefore, a desire to find ways of overcoming this inherent drawback to Co-Q10.
Various attempts of increasing Co-Q10 bioavailability through the use of solubility-enhancing agents have been reported. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,873 discloses aqueous solutions of Co-Q10 that contain hydrogenated lecithin in an attempt to increase Co-Q10 bioavailability. U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,826 discloses water-soluble compositions containing a lipophilic compound, e.g. Co-Q10, and a single solubilizing agent having both hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,056,971 and 6,441,050 disclose methods for solubilizing water-insoluble dietary supplements in liquid form, such as Co-Q10 in a softgel, by mixing Co-Q10 with, among other things, an edible polyhydric alcohol solvent. U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,377 teaches the formulation of a Co-Q10 composition that omits polyhydric alcohol, but includes other agents to help improve solubility, including a glyceryl ester molecule having one to three C2 to C7 acyl groups.
Despite the foregoing attempts to increase Co-Q10 solubility, relatively low solubility levels continue to plague affective Co-Q10 assimilation by the body. As an example, Co-Q10 dosage forms to date, e.g. softgel capsules, must remain relatively large in size, having an approximate formula weight of 1000 mg. This translates into a softgel that is approximately 1″ long, which can be difficult to swallow—especially for the elderly, who stand to benefit the most from Coenzyme-Q10 supplements.
There is, therefore, a continuing need to improve Co-Q10 bioavailability beyond the level realized today. The present invention satisfies this and other needs.